7 Things You Can Only Do in Vancouver this Fall

There are a few things about Vancouver that are simply not up for debate. One, it’s beautiful. Two, it rains… a lot. Three, the food scene is next-level. And four, it’s unlike anywhere else in the world.

Old-growth forest makes up our city’s main park. People leave work downtown to ski through sunset. In 25 minutes, you can go from the top of a mountain to swimming in the ocean. Somehow, we have some of the best sushi on the planet, despite being a continent away from Japan.

There’s nowhere quite like Vancouver. At all times of year, there are endless ways to embrace being outside and make the most of the culture embedded in this seaside-meets-mountain-town’s DNA. But in the fall? That’s when the magic really kicks in.

The air gets crisper, the crowds thin out, and the misty, rain-soaked landscape feels straight out of Twilight or a Studio Ghibli film. It’s the season to lean into everything that makes this place wild and wonderful.

So whether you're chasing waterfalls in the rain or eating your way across continents in a single day, here are seven fall activities you can only do in Vancouver.

Go Misty Kayaking in Deep Cove

Deep Cove is a little gem of a neighbourhood in North Vancouver, tucked at the foot of the Indian Arm. With dramatic mountain views, mostly calm waters and only a 20-minute drive from downtown, it’s one of Vancouver’s favourite kayaking spots.

And arguably, it’s best in the fall. When the rain rolls in and mist settles over the water, the setting feels otherworldly. It’s quiet, cinematic and peaceful in a way that summer can’t replicate.

It’s easy to rent a kayak right in the cove, or for that extra rom-com energy, rent a canoe. Paddle around for a couple of hours, and after you’ve worked up an appetite, swing by Honey’s Doughnuts. This local legend serves up baseball-sized doughballs, deep-fried and drenched in honey. They’re gooey. They’re warm. And they’re exactly what you want after a paddle through the clouds.

Visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge for Canyon Frights

Super fall-coded, super Vancouver-only. The Capilano Suspension Bridge is an experience any time of year, but during Canyon Frights, the park sends you into a surreal, spooky world.

From October 2nd to November 10th, it gets an extra dose of eerie charm. Glowing lights, the Cliffwalk Takeover, nightly performances and limited-time bites like the Dracula Bite Hot Chocolate, Peek-a-Boo-Tini, Harvest Gnocchi and Autumn Spice Apple Pie transform the forest into something straight out of Halloween Town.

The park is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with guests welcome to linger an hour past closing. It also couldn’t be an easier activity to get to, with the park offering a free shuttle service from pick-up points at Canada Place and the Hyatt Regency Hotel. So start planning your costume and prepare to be spooked in the best way.

Take a Hike, then Have a Beach Picnic

If you’re chasing peak fall energy in the most natural way, this is the Vancouver way. Or more specifically, the North Shore way. Nothing hits quite like a hike-to-beach picnic combo when the air’s crisp (but not quite cold) and the leaves are popping.

Start your day with a morning wander through West Vancouver’s Lighthouse Park. You’ll weave through bush-lined trails under towering trees, stop at ocean viewpoints, and make your way out to the lighthouse itself. Other great trail options include the peaceful forested route to Whyte Lake, or if you’re up for more of a challenge, one of the steeper climbs from the Cypress Mountain Bowl. Either way, you’ll finish with a well-earned appetite.

So next stop: lunch. Head to one of West Van’s best sushi spots: Kissu or Bene, conveniently located on the same block. Pick your fave, grab it to go, and stroll a few steps down to Ambleside Beach. With views of Stanley Park and the Lions Gate Bridge, a blanket, a thermos, and top-tier sushi in hand, this is fall in Vancouver at its finest.

Walk the Seawall, Rain or Shine

Rain or shine, the seawall is a route worth conquering. Sure, in summer the ocean sparkles and the sky is blue. But in the fall, the leaves of Stanley Park are turning, people are out with their autumn picnics, and even in the rain, there’s something romantic about the crashing grey waves. It feels less like a workout and more like wandering through the pages of a novel. Stop off for a hot drink at The Teahouse, snap photos of the fiery red maples near Lost Lagoon, and maybe take a slight detour to check out the totem poles glowing under a canopy of fall leaves. Wrap things up at English Bay, where you can sit on a driftwood log, warm up with some takeout from any of the many restaurants nearby, and watch the clouds roll in over the water.

The other beauty of the seawall? When you’re staying downtown, whether it’s at the Westin Bayshore, the Sutton Place, the Pan Pacific or the Douglas, your base camp for the adventure is only a short seaside stroll away.

Visit a Pumpkin Patch Without Leaving the City

Yes, in Vancouver, you can live out your pumpkin patch dreams without taking a two-hour drive out of town. One of the best things to do in October is head to Southlands Heritage Farm for tractor rides, goats, and a cozy little pumpkin patch that feels wonderfully rural despite being smack in the city.

Or, take a quick drive out to Richmond Country Farms, where there’s live music, hayrides and every kind of gourd under the sun. Pumpkins, cider, vibes… These spots are the easiest way to get your fall fix, no road trip required.

Go Chasing Waterfalls

Contrary to TLC’s advice, you should go chasing waterfalls, and you should do it in the fall.

This time of year, Norvan Falls in North Vancouver is extra dramatic thanks to all the rain. Only a 25-minute drive from downtown to the trailhead at Lynn Headwaters Regional Park, this forested route winds through the mist-shrouded towering trees before ending at a roaring waterfall that hits different when the trees are red and orange. Pack lunch, lots of water, layer up, and plan your timing, because while the route isn’t too difficult, it is roughly six hours out and back of moody, misty magic.

Eat Your Way Around the World in a Day

While many cities have great internationally influenced dining scenes, we may be (just slightly) biased in saying that Vancouver does it best. Case in point: you can take your taste buds on a global tour without leaving the city.

Start your day at Café Medina with a Middle Eastern–inspired brunch dish or one of their iconic Belgian waffles. Prefer something French? Head just over the Granville Street Bridge to Mon Pitou for a croque madame and espresso in a sunny, Parisian-style café.

For lunch, grab an Italian panini from Dante downtown, or go for platter-style tacos at Chancho Tortilleria on Commercial Drive. You're also spoiled for sushi spots, from swanky Miku and Minami to cozy and casual Kadoya.

Come dinner, head to Moltaqa for a warm and inviting Moroccan meal, or try Vijis for celebrity-loved Indian. Main Street’s Como Taperia is an option for fabulous tapas in a lively spot seeping with Spanish style, or there’s also low-key and iconic Phnom Penh, where the legendary buttery garlic chicken wings and steaming bowls of pho have earned cult status for good reason.

By the end of the day, you’ll have travelled continents without leaving Vancouver city limits. And bonus: this fall activity is entirely weatherproof.

Ready to stomp on some crunchy leaves, paddle through misty waters, eat some travel-itch-inducing food and maybe get a little spooked? Don’t let anyone fool you, Vancouver’s just as much a fall destination as it is a summer one (if anything, locals know it’s even better.)